SUV Plunges Down Embankment off Highway 199, Major Injuries Reported

A vehicle went over the embankment along U.S. Highway 199 Tuesday afternoon just south of Kings Valley Road north of Crescent City, leaving at least one person with major injuries, according to the California Highway Patrol Traffic Incident Information Page.

The crash was first reported at 2:24 p.m. as a vehicle off the roadway and visible from the highway. Dispatch notes indicate the vehicle, an SUV with four blown tires, came to rest roughly 75 to 100 feet down the embankment. Responders from Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office Fire and additional medical units were dispatched to the scene.

By 2:35 p.m., fire personnel confirmed they were on scene with the vehicle, which was positioned approximately 75 feet below the roadway. A short time later, at 2:40 p.m., crews reported that an occupant was still inside the SUV and attempting to extricate themself, though the extent of their injuries was unknown at that time.

At 2:56 p.m., CHP reclassified the incident as a major injury collision. A heavy wrecker was requested to assist with recovery of the vehicle due to its position approximately 100 feet down the embankment.

Multiple units from CHP, fire, and medical agencies arrived and continued to work on scene into the afternoon. No additional information about the number of occupants, the cause of the crash, or the condition of the injured party has yet been released.

Please remember that information gathered from initial reports is subject to revision as more facts become available.